OLIVIA RODRIGO
Guts (Geffen)
In a high school movie, Olivia Rodrigo is that girl who sits in the corner of the class, chewing on gum, and questioning the existence of the male form. Her second album Guts acts as the perfect sequel to the playfully angsty Sour, turning Rodrigo into a rebellious college It Girl and concluding an era of high school bad bitchery.
Her powerful scope of self-awareness is thrown at us in the opening All-American Bitch, a self-summarised ballad with waves of acoustic and electric string. Segueing straight into the second lead single Bad Idea, Right?, the narrative begins at that messy post-breakup stage; hooking up with your ex. Amongst the turbulence of the rock-infused Ballad Of A Homeschooled Girl and Get Him Back!, Rodrigo identifies the importance of putting oneself first, recognising internal damage through beautiful lyricism in Making The Bed, Logical, and The Grudge.
On Guts, Olivia Rodrigo has never been so vivacious and vulnerable all at once: behind the ‘teenager in their twenties’ attitude is a conscientious POV and undeniable talent.
words ROWAN DAVIES
